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New 2012 UST-Mamiya Shafts & Grips!

UST Mamiya VTS Shaft Series
Over the years shaft manufacturers have worked diligently to create product lines that are comprehensive in able to fit the greatest number of golfers with the fewest number of shafts possible. These products lines are typically developed out on tour using the world’s best players as their validation and then filter down the general public. In all my years in the industry, I have witnessed many lines that have taken off and became staples for clubmakers. I believe UST Mamiya may be next as they have put a fresh new twist on shaft fitting in their Proforce VTS (Velocity Torque Speed) series.

Shaft Fitting in the Last Decade
If you look at many of the popular shaft lines from the last decade, you see a theme. Instead of a standalone model, manufacturers will start out with a concept or new technology and expand it to cover several weight ranges. Great examples of these are the Aldila NV and Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue series. These lines not only have multiple options for flex, but weights that range in 10g intervals from 45g up to 75g or even higher. Finally the line has similar graphics to make it look cohesive. This type of line can be referred to a 2D or two-dimensional fitting where you are controlling two key parameters to complement the golfer’s strength and tempo.

Fujikura developed a line called the Fit-On E Series that expanded upon the 2D fitting method. Their approach was to add ball flight (high, mid and low) to the mix. To a certain degree, The Aldila NV series did this with the addition of the NVS as they would have one shaft designed to hit the ball higher and one lower, but also available in various weights and flexes to really fine tune fitting.

VTS Approach
UST Mamiya has developed a new approach to shaft fitting. For several years now, they studied the 5 key design elements of the shaft (Weight, Torque, Butt flex, Mid flex and Tip flex). Butt flex is commonly the way most people associate flex by clamping the butt end of the shaft and then deflecting or “plucking” the shaft in a frequency analyzer to put a number on feel. Tip flex or tip stiffness is usually the indicator of how the manufacturer controls ball flight. Mid flex is the study of stiffness distribution in the mid portion of the shaft and has generally been unclear of exactly what the primary function was. However, Mid flex is what controls the shaft’s stability and the most important part of the shaft which ties into the Butt and Tip flex. Lastly torque, or the resistance to twisting, was thought to affect control.

After making pairs of control shafts to isolate each of these parameters, UST’s staff went out and tested golfers to see how each influenced feel and ball flight. They were somewhat surprised by the results. Shaft weight (which controls overall weight) was thought to have a function on speed, but it was a key indicator of feel or being able to know where the club was during the swing.

The butt flex was thought to have been a key contributor to feel, but that wasn’t the case. Surprisingly, torque was. When most golfers or fitters think about torque, they assume that low torque is all about stabilizing the shaft and the head. Plus the common perception is golfers with higher swing speeds require lower torque than those with reduced swing speeds.

Torque: The Often Misunderstood Shaft Parameter
What is the function of torque in a shaft? During the swing not everyone will have the same clubhead position or clubhead path (inside-out, outside-in) at the top of their swing as each of us has a unique swing. It may be open, closed or in a neutral position. The position is unrelated to a player’s speed; rather it is part of the swing DNA. By matching the proper torque it really helps to square up the face at impact. This is why it might be necessary for golfers with high clubheads speeds to use higher torque shafts than what traditionally might be suggested or those with reduced speeds to use lower torque. There is one nebulous parameter you cannot discount which is “feel”. If the club (or shaft) feels right there is no need for additional swing thoughts or adjustments and the player will have more confidence.

Fitting Matrix
UST Mamiya was able to produce shafts of the same weight, butt, mid and tip flex, but with 3 different torques, each 1 degree apart or the minimum threshold at which golfers could feel. The shafts are colored coded to indicate the torque. On the silkscreen, the word PROFORCE and VTS are black, silver or red. The black is the lowest torque version. Silver is the mid torque version or 1º higher than the black. Lastly red is the highest torque version of 1º higher than the silver. There is also a circle above VTS with lettering denoting the weight and flex (5R = 55g R-flex).

For fitters, UST developed an eleven shaft matrix as a starting point to fit the bulk of the golfers, although there is a total of 54 wood shafts. They range from A, R, S, SX (in-between S and X flex), X and XX flexes and weights from 55 to 95g (in 10g increments). There are also hybrids, but not a comprehensive. This is UST’s 3D fitting matrix to give players a positive feedback with their natural swing to increasing ball speed for distance and reduced dispersion for control.

What About Ball Trajectory?The Proforce VTS wood shafts were designed primarily for drivers, which come in various lofts, but fairway and hybrid clubs benefit especially off of the ground interaction. While tip flex can control ball flight to a certain degree, loft has the greatest impact. When golfers are fit, usually they pick the head first and then the shaft. The VTS series consists of shafts in the mid and mid-low ball flight categories.

Constant Taper Profile
The butt end might appear larger than normal, but the shafts have a constant tapered profile which has to do with the shaft’s geometry. UST Mamiya found that a constant taper profile rather than a shaft with a long parallel butt section that later tapers down was more efficient at transferring energy. Don’t worry. You can still get a normal 0.600” grip over the butt end. The top or 2” down from the butt end is only 0.020” larger than standard, while the lower hand (6” down) is standard sized.

Fitting Information
I had an opportunity to test one of each of the 60g S-flex shafts (Black, Silver and Red) and 2 of the 50g R-flex shafts (Black and Silver) into our QuikFit adapters and head to the range. Before I did, I made sure to measure the information for our annual Shaft Fitting Addendum as I do any shaft I get my hands on. For all you fellow techies, take a look at the data below in the format we usually publish this valuable information.

I have tested close to 4000 different shafts in the past 20+ years. This was the first time I have been able to find shafts were you have models of almost identical weight, frequency, butt and tip deflections, but the torque value varied so you can truly test the effect of torque.

Range Time
For all those players that think high torque does this and low torque does that, well…throw out any preconceived notions. Armed with the 5 shafted adapters of identical length and one QuikFit Acer XF driver, I headed out to the range and enlisted one other golfer to test the Proforce VTS shafts. Once I explained the concept we took turns hitting and making observations.

The most notable observation was feel. While that might come as a surprise to most, we did not see a particular ball flight pattern. That is the higher torque shafts didn’t go predominately left or right or create an erratic shot pattern compared to a lower torque version. The higher torque simply gave a softer feel even though the other key shaft parameters that make up the shaft’s DNA stayed the same. Part of this can be explained by the flex profile. By having the stiffer butt, mid and tip sections, the player can sense greater stability. By adding higher torque to the shaft is what gives it feel.

While our swing speeds were approximately the same (mid 90’s) we have entirely different swings. We ended up liking totally different shafts as a result. Once you get dialed in with the right feel, like I said before, there is no adjustment necessary. A confident swing in which you can trust is what ultimately what gives you more distance. UST Mamiya’s Proforce VTS line provides more options giving players the better ability to be properly fit.

If you are looking at pure specifications, on paper the Tour Green comes the closest to some of the VTS Black woods. However, the shaft geometry is quite different. The VTS’s have the constant tapered profile while the Tour Green and all the other products in the AXIVCore line that I can think of off the top of my head have the traditional parallel butt section.

I’ve always thought of torque in a golf shaft as the club’s “suspension.” It basically functions the same as a torsion bar suspension in a vehicle. A force is applied to the torque arm of the shaft when the club strikes the ball. With a low torque shaft, less of that force is absorbed by the shaft and more is transmitted to the hands resulting in a “harsh” feel (like a sports car with a stiff suspension). The opposite applies to a high torque shaft. However, each individual’s preference will depend on their club head speed. Just like a race car with a stiff suspension feels harsh at slow speed but smooths out at high speed, a high swing speed golfer will prefer a “stiffer suspension” to get the the kind of feel he likes when he puts the pedal to the metal.

Forgive me if I am wrong, but I think David’s explanation of torque is incorrect. Torque in a golf shaft is the twisting of that golf shaft during the swing and at impact. The lower the torque rating, the less the shaft twists and the higher the torque rating, the more the shaft will be subject to those same twisting forces.

Sterling,
You are correct in you’re thinking about torque ratings. You have misunderstood my point though. A high torque shaft is like a soft spring in that it absorbs more of the harshness of ball impact and transfers less of that harshness to the hands. Thus the “softer feel” attributed to them by most golfers.

I’m looking at a second hand MacGregor VIP 10.5° driver with a white Mamiya shaft marked R 55g. I don’t know how old it is, is there any information about it available? Not sure which button to press, hope it gets through.

MacGregor has used the name VIP on numerous models over the years so it is nearly impossible to identify in order to research which current UST shaft would be comparable. UST has several shafts in that weight range and has likely made countless OEM versions to the manufacturer’s specification.

Thanks for your prompt response, if the rain stops today here in Brisbane I will get to the range and give it a test run. It feels good swishing it around the back yard compared to my current driver so I’m hopeful I might gain a yard or two.

[…] If you are not hip to the ProForce V5 shaft, it is the next-generation version of UST’s popular V2 line which has been a clubmaker’s staple for many years. The bend profile using our EI Profiler is nearly identical to one another meaning you can expect the same trajectory. The biggest difference is the V5 uses newer materials and is made with a slighter higher torque for added feel (read the UST VTS story). […]